Crisis Core: FF7 Reunion is Required Reading for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

After a four-year-long wait, the story of Cloud and his companions is finally continuing. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth continues where the story of Final Fantasy 7 Remake left off, but only after a few brief sequences, such as the game’s first chapter that deals with the events of Cloud’s Mt. Nibel mission. For many Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth players, this isn’t their first time viewing these events, and it most likely won’t be the last. The story of what happened in Nibelheim is incredibly important, and may be a big reason why Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion came out in 2022.

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 deserved a rerelease for quite a long time, but with how the “Reunion” remaster changed details to match the FF7 Remake project, there was an obvious deeper reason as to why the game was finally put on more platforms than just the PSP. It got those new to FF7 and Remake caught up on who Zack Fair was, but it’s also to help fans understand how Cloud is an unreliable narrator.

Related

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Video Shows How Much Nibelheim Has Changed

A fan-made comparison video highlights how faithful the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth demo is to the original’s fateful Nibelheim flashback sequence.

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Makes All the Smaller Details in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Impossible To Ignore

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion Shows the Truth Before Fans Relive the Lie

The story of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion focuses on the energetic Zack Fair, an important character who would have been missing throughout Final Fantasy 7 Remake if it weren’t for its surprising ending. Zack’s story is, and has always been, important to FF7 because he is the SOLDIER operative that Cloud believes he is, and players experience Nibelheim from Cloud’s false recollection as well as Zack’s truth to the events across multiple games. Rebirth carries on this tradition. However, thanks to how FF7 Rebirth is made for fans above all else, the newest telling of the tale uses prior knowledge to unsettle those able to pay close attention.

Unlike the game that FF7 Rebirth is trying to renew for a new generation, the newer title has no reason to hide how Cloud’s story isn’t fully real and the players who are aware of the events going in will be treated to unsettling details as a result. Cloud’s way of speaking clearly belongs to Zack, and Sephiroth calls him Zack’s playful “puppy” nickname. Even specific scenes from Crisis Core being played out almost note-for-note is already enough to make those aware unsettled by what’s really happening as they play Cloud’s self-indulgent flashback.

The Details That Might Be Missed in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s First Chapter

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth doesn’t just show the truth of Nibelheim with a few obvious changes, however. The scene is full of details that push the fact that what he remembers isn’t real. While Cloud spends most of his story taking Zack’s place, even when fighting alongside Sephiroth, paying close attention to scenes where the screen doesn’t flash with cells, or even how Cloud speaks makes it clear when it’s his memory and when it’s not.

The most unsettling detail involves the one infantryman soldier that Cloud interacts with during the mission, who players would already know from playing Crisis Core is Cloud himself. Even in Cloud’s retelling, eagle-eyed players can see the blonde hair underneath his helmet. He’s even played by Cody Christian, Cloud’s voice actor, making it very clear that Cloud is talking to himself. All of these details make the story fun but unsettling to experience, which heightens it long-term, and only those aware of Crisis Core‘s context would be able to spot it.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is the highly-anticipated continuation of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake. The story will continue to follow Cloud Strife and may even see appearances from Zack Fair.

Platform(s)

PlayStation 5

Released

February 29, 2024

Metascore

92

PS Plus Availability

N/A